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Module price mystery
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Jedo Dre
Lignum Holdings Ltd.
#1 - 2014-06-07 12:04:37 UTC
Since the first week of me playing Eve a question has been bothering me to which I still have not found an answer, and so I thought I'd post it here or else it will keep pestering my mind.



Modules that are worse than Tech II but better than the starting module cost less than the starting module. And sometimes even the 2nd level module will cost more than the 3rd level. With other words, better modules cost less. For example right now:

1. Reactor Control Unit I mininmum selling price: 14,750 isk
2. Mark I Generator Refitting: Raction Control (uses less CPU) minimum selling price: 1,099 isk

It's been like this for all modules I have dealt with.

Now, some people will no doubt say that this is because there is a higher supply of the better modules from farming pirates and therefore the price is lower but that still doesn't make sense because the higher supply of better modules should drive down the demand of the worse modules, right? Why would a person buy a more expensive worse module if he/she can buy a cheaper better module?

Is it because people do not know about the "Variations" tab in the module's information window?
0Lona 0ltor
Adeptio Gloriae
#2 - 2014-06-07 12:25:56 UTC  |  Edited by: 0Lona 0ltor
No its because the 1 variant is used in the creation of the Tech 2 via invention.
Hel O'Ween
Men On A Mission
#3 - 2014-06-07 12:34:57 UTC
Jedo Dre wrote:

Modules that are worse than Tech II but better than the starting module cost less than the starting module. And sometimes even the 2nd level module will cost more than the 3rd level. With other words, better modules cost less. For example right now:

1. Reactor Control Unit I mininmum selling price: 14,750 isk
2. Mark I Generator Refitting: Raction Control (uses less CPU) minimum selling price: 1,099 isk


Welcome to EVE aka "The minerals I mine/modules I loot are free".

The T1 module is produced by a player and placed on the market with a price that matches its building costs. The other modules are - as you already stated - drops from NPC. That's the "Modules I loot are free" faction.

Another variation is that T1 modules are sold on the market for less than there (refined) minerals are worth, if sold separately (that's the "Minerals I mined are free" faction).

As for (Meta) T4 being more expensive than T2 modules. This does make sense sometimes, as the fitting requirements for the T2 modules are higher than for the meta T4 counterparts. That 1 CPU less might be the deciding factor for a complete fitting. Also, the skill requirements differ.

And also don't underestimate player's stupidity and laziness.

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Rhivre
TarNec
Invisible Exchequer
#4 - 2014-06-07 12:36:29 UTC
Meta II and IV are more popular than Meta IIIs, and usually there is one or two popular ones out of the insanely long lists of some modules

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Adunh Slavy
#5 - 2014-06-07 13:34:56 UTC
It'll be even more screwey after the next update with large changes to reprocessing coming. I would advise caution and doing research before establishing any large positions in the meta 1-4 markets.

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.  - William Pitt
Plleasure Hub
Municorn
#6 - 2014-06-07 15:01:27 UTC
As 0Lona 0ltor pointed out, inventors will often buy T1 variants to use in T2 production as purchasing them outright can be far cheaper than producing them yourself, time-wise.

Another thing to keep in mind is that any of the meta items can be used in the invention process itself to boost invention success chance, further affecting prices. You only need one meta item to invent a 10-19 run T2 BPC, making the meta item's price-per-run only a fraction of its market value.

In theory, this can cause price distortions over time that do not cleanly scale the price of meta items by their level. If inventors were buying the meta 2 item for a long period because it was mathematically optimal, it might become more expensive than the others before the buyers adjust their strategy. I do not know how much this dynamic really affects the market, though, because it is a PITA to switch meta level items all the time in your inventions.

Meta prices vary by the type of module. As Hel O'Ween pointed out, there are often important CPU and power grid stats that can make lower meta items more valuable than higher ones, especially if the other stat increases do not scale well with the increased fitting requirements.

It would not surprise me to see increasing speculation in meta items as more information becomes available about their revamp. If each meta level is given a specialty, expect some price spikes on the ones that offer the most useful combination of stats. It might even be worthwhile to wildly buy up cheap meta items on the chance that they receive a killer buff.

"There's no meaningful difference between a real and a virtual world. It's pointless to ask anyone who they really are. All you can do is accept and believe in them, because whoever they are in your mind, is their true identity." — Kazuto Kirigaya
Zappity
New Eden Tank Testing Services
#7 - 2014-06-07 23:50:24 UTC
Adunh Slavy wrote:
It'll be even more screwey after the next update with large changes to reprocessing coming. I would advise caution and doing research before establishing any large positions in the meta 1-4 markets.

Yep. And it will get even screwier when the module rebalancing occurs as per Fozzie's talk at fanfest. I don't think Meta 4 is going to be in a healthy place for long unless they do something creative (which they might).

Zappity's Adventures for a taste of lowsec and nullsec.
Adunh Slavy
#8 - 2014-06-08 00:17:16 UTC
Zappity wrote:
Yep. And it will get even screwier when the module rebalancing occurs as per Fozzie's talk at fanfest. I don't think Meta 4 is going to be in a healthy place for long unless they do something creative (which they might).



Yep, it's pretty wide open. Lots of risk and lots of possible reward.

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.  - William Pitt
Lucas Kell
Solitude Trading
S.N.O.T.
#9 - 2014-06-08 00:58:38 UTC
Jedo Dre wrote:
Since the first week of me playing Eve a question has been bothering me to which I still have not found an answer, and so I thought I'd post it here or else it will keep pestering my mind.



Modules that are worse than Tech II but better than the starting module cost less than the starting module. And sometimes even the 2nd level module will cost more than the 3rd level. With other words, better modules cost less. For example right now:

1. Reactor Control Unit I mininmum selling price: 14,750 isk
2. Mark I Generator Refitting: Raction Control (uses less CPU) minimum selling price: 1,099 isk

It's been like this for all modules I have dealt with.

Now, some people will no doubt say that this is because there is a higher supply of the better modules from farming pirates and therefore the price is lower but that still doesn't make sense because the higher supply of better modules should drive down the demand of the worse modules, right? Why would a person buy a more expensive worse module if he/she can buy a cheaper better module?

Is it because people do not know about the "Variations" tab in the module's information window?
It's called supply and demand, and it's no mystery. Generally there's no reason to buy a meta 1-3 (currently) since the meta 4 will generally (but not always) be better and have the same skill requirements. T1 items get used in T2 manufacture which usually keeps their price up. Most meta 1-3 items you'll usually find hovering at around the price they can be reprocessed, as few people buy them, yet they drop more frequently.

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Scarlett LaBlanc
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#10 - 2014-06-08 01:19:50 UTC
Free markets don't always make sence.
Vaerah Vahrokha
Vahrokh Consulting
#11 - 2014-06-08 07:04:31 UTC
Scarlett LaBlanc wrote:
Free markets don't always make sence.


They do make sense for themselves, we can't always comprehend them though.

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flakeys
Doomheim
#12 - 2014-06-08 07:11:37 UTC
Vaerah Vahrokha wrote:
Scarlett LaBlanc wrote:
Free markets don't always make sence.


They do make sense for themselves, we can't always comprehend them though.



Sounds like the market has a female side to it ...

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.
Sabriz Adoudel
Move along there is nothing here
#13 - 2014-06-08 13:44:55 UTC
Lucas Kell wrote:
Jedo Dre wrote:
Since the first week of me playing Eve a question has been bothering me to which I still have not found an answer, and so I thought I'd post it here or else it will keep pestering my mind.



Modules that are worse than Tech II but better than the starting module cost less than the starting module. And sometimes even the 2nd level module will cost more than the 3rd level. With other words, better modules cost less. For example right now:

1. Reactor Control Unit I mininmum selling price: 14,750 isk
2. Mark I Generator Refitting: Raction Control (uses less CPU) minimum selling price: 1,099 isk

It's been like this for all modules I have dealt with.

Now, some people will no doubt say that this is because there is a higher supply of the better modules from farming pirates and therefore the price is lower but that still doesn't make sense because the higher supply of better modules should drive down the demand of the worse modules, right? Why would a person buy a more expensive worse module if he/she can buy a cheaper better module?

Is it because people do not know about the "Variations" tab in the module's information window?
It's called supply and demand, and it's no mystery. Generally there's no reason to buy a meta 1-3 (currently) since the meta 4 will generally (but not always) be better and have the same skill requirements. T1 items get used in T2 manufacture which usually keeps their price up. Most meta 1-3 items you'll usually find hovering at around the price they can be reprocessed, as few people buy them, yet they drop more frequently.


Often meta 3 is good enough to get the job done and much cheaper than 4. So there is some demand not driven by reprocessing for some meta 3 modules.

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Jedo Dre
Lignum Holdings Ltd.
#14 - 2014-06-08 20:19:10 UTC
Thanks,

Tech 1 to Tech 2 conversion driving the price actually makes sense :)
I didn't think about it.
Zappity
New Eden Tank Testing Services
#15 - 2014-06-08 20:36:37 UTC
Also, Meta 1-4 are also used in invention too. Meta 0 is compulsory, Meta 1-4 optional to increase invention chance.

Zappity's Adventures for a taste of lowsec and nullsec.